Combat Air Patrol
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The Combat Air Patrol ("CAP") are part of battlestar Galactica's early warning and defensive posture in protecting the Fleet.
CAP typically consists of two Vipers flying a designated pattern in and around the Fleet in order to provide an immediate spaceborne response to incoming threats. CAP flights may sometimes be accompanied by a Raptor, particularly if trouble is anticipated.
It is possible that more than one CAP may be flown at a time, with Vipers positioned at different distances from the Fleet, and occupying different "orbits" around the fleet.
CAP flights are generally backed-up by the Alert Fighters on Galactica (33).
Notes
On Earth, the term "combat air patrol" is most frequently applied to fighter aircraft patrols guarding a carrier battle group; however, it applies equally to flights guarding a fixed land target, other vessels at sea, and (least commonly) slower, more vulnerable aircraft. Series information notes the existence of battlestar groups, which are analogous to carrier battle groups, so the use of CAPs in the series may parallel real-world CAPs.
Effective Earth-based CAP patterns can include aircraft positioned at both high and low altitudes, so as to shorten response times when an attack is detected.
It should be noted that there are two other, less common, recognised air patrols which may have parallels in the Re-imagined Series:
- BARCAP or BARrier Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown between the vessel being guarded and the direction from which an attack will most likely originate.
- TARCAP or TARget Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown over or near a strike target in order to protect the attack attack aircraft from harassment by enemy fighters